tombs – Praying Pint

36.z. “Sarah lived 127 years”

Genesis 23:1 Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites, “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” The Hittites answered Abraham, “Hear us, my lord; you are a prince of God among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our tombs. None of us will withhold from you his tomb to hinder you from burying your dead.” Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. And he said to them, “If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me and entreat for me Ephron the son of Zohar, that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as property for a burying place.”

Sarah is the only woman in the Bible whose age at death is recorded. This gives us some measure of how highly she is regarded in the Bible. Twice we are told to look to Sarah as such a godly and obedient and blessed example (Isaiah 51:1-2 and 1 Peter 3:3-6).

The man of great faith, the friend of God, wept for the loss of Sarah’s companionship. There was nothing weak or unbelieving about the tears of this man of faith. To weep for a loved one is to show that we have been close, that the loss is keenly felt, that death is an enemy, and that sin has brought this sad punishment upon the human race.” (Boice)

Abraham bought a tomb for which to bury Sarah in. This tomb had many great men and women of God buried in it. This is where Isaac and Ishmael buried Abraham (Genesis 25:9). Isaac and Rebekah were both buried here (Genesis 49:31). Jacob buried Leah here (Genesis 49:31), and Joseph buried Jacob here (Genesis 50:13).

34.u. “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith”

Matthew 27:51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Leviticus 21:23    but he shall not go through the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.”

Mark 15:38    And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.

Luke 23:45    while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.

Hebrews 6:19  We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,

Hebrews 10:19-22  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,  and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The veil was what separated the holy place from the most holy place in the temple. It was a vivid demonstration of the separation between God and man. Notably, the veil was torn from top to bottom, and it was God who did the tearing. (Guzik)

“As if shocked at the sacrilegious murder of her Lord, the temple rent her garments, like one stricken with horror at some stupendous crime.” “It is not a slight rent through which we may see a little; but it is rent from the top to the bottom. There is an entrance made for the greatest sinners. If there had only been a small hole cut through it, the lesser offenders might have crept through; but what an act of abounding mercy is this, that the veil is rent in the midst, and rent from top to bottom, so that the chief of sinners may find ample passage!” “Men’s hearts did not respond to the agonizing cries of the dying Redeemer, but the rocks responded: the rocks were rent. He did not die for rocks; yet rocks were more tender than the hearts of men, for whom he shed his blood.” (Spurgeon)

Not only was the veil torn but nature itself was shaken by the death of the Son of God.

I have read numerous commentaries on this section of scripture and nothing is more clear than what is stated in Hebrews 10:19-20 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Oh, that our hearts would be like rocks that split and our souls be torn open at the death of Christ and we would, with God give wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, humbly bow in repentance, evermore remembering the great price that was paid for us to have eternal life if we would but, as it were, walk into the Holy of Holies and look upon our Redeemer, Savior, King of Kings, Son of God – Jesus Christ – and come to Him in faith for the forgiveness of our sins, forevermore living to honor and glorify Him alone in all we say, think, and do.

32.a. “Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.”

Matthew 8:28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way. And behold, they cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Now a herd of many pigs was feeding at some distance from them. And the demons begged him, saying, “If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of pigs.” And he said to them, “Go.” So they came out and went into the pigs, and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the waters. The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, especially what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.

Job 21:14   They say to God, ‘Depart from us! We do not desire the knowledge of your ways.

Job 22:17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us,’ and ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’

Mark 5:17-18    And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region.

John 15:23-24   Whoever hates me hates my Father also.  If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.

The work of Jesus had unified the whole city, and they had all come out to meet with and to talk to Jesus, but it was not in a good way. “Here was a whole city against their own blessing… Horrible was their decision, but it was heard, and Jesus departed out of their coasts.” (Spurgeon)

We would think that the people of the region would be happy that these two demon-possessed men had been delivered. Perhaps they were more interested in their pigs than in people. Certainly, the delivering power of Jesus did not make all men feel comfortable. (Guzik)

Their conduct directly from their lips…” leave, depart from our region”, makes me wonder what it is that causes man to reject things of God. Unbelief in God, unbelief in a living God, unbelief in an all-powerful God, unbelief in an ever-present God, unbelief in all-knowing God, comfortable in living after the flesh and reliance in their own power and will for their lives, and having no room in their heart or mind for things of God. They are content with their current way of life and do not see any reason to change. Could it be their prosperity, position, power, the comfort of life and not wanting to rock that boat in any way?

Whatever the reason, they chose as individuals and corporately to ask the Son of God to leave them and their region. These people have seen first hand what Jesus had done and what the herdsmen told them…that the two demon-possessed men were no longer possessed and the demons fled into a herd of pigs which after being possessed red off a cliff and died. They knew this. They knew something had transpired that no human could do. They knew that person was Jesus and they begged Him to leave.

How many times have we read the Word of God and get uncomfortable with something we have read? How many times has the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit been pushed out of our minds? We may not specifically ask it to leave our minds but certainly, the rejection of it in our life is just the same as “leave, depart”.

It is an intentional choice to proudly defend selfishness, reject, deny, turn away from, cast aside, go your own way, and disobey things of God. Likewise, it is an intentional choice to humbly surrender, invite, seek, desire, believe, trust, follow, and obey. Are you desiring and seeking or firmly asking all influence of God in your life to leave and depart?

197. How would our life change were we to give our whole heart, soul, and mind to God?

2 Kings 23:4 And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest and the priests of the second order and the keepers of the threshold to bring out of the temple of the Lord all the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven. He burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron and carried their ashes to Bethel. And he deposed the priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to make offerings in the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem; those also who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and the moon and the constellations and all the host of the heavens. And he brought out the Asherah from the house of the Lord, outside Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron and beat it to dust and cast the dust of it upon the graves of the common people. And he broke down the houses of the male cult prostitutes who were in the house of the Lord, where the women wove hangings for the Asherah. And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings, from Geba to Beersheba. And he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on one’s left at the gate of the city. However, the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of the Lord in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brothers. And he defiled Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, that no one might burn his son or his daughter as an offering to Molech. And he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of the Lord, by the chamber of Nathan-melech the chamberlain, which was in the precincts. And he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. And the altars on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars that Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the Lord, he pulled down and broke in pieces and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron. And the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, to the south of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, and for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And he broke in pieces the pillars and cut down the Asherim and filled their places with the bones of men.

Moreover, the altar at Bethel, the high place erected by Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, that altar with the high place he pulled down and burned, reducing it to dust. He also burned the Asherah. And as Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the mount. And he sent and took the bones out of the tombs and burned them on the altar and defiled it, according to the word of the Lord that the man of God proclaimed, who had predicted these things. Then he said, “What is that monument that I see?” And the men of the city told him, “It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel.” And he said, “Let him be; let no man move his bones.” So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria. And Josiah removed all the shrines also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which kings of Israel had made, provoking the Lord to anger. He did to them according to all that he had done at Bethel. And he sacrificed all the priests of the high places who were there, on the altars, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Deuteronomy 13:5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has taught rebellion against the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you out of the house of slavery, to make you leave the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

We read all of the actions Josiah took after he made a covenant to walk after the Lord. We went city by city and destroyed the false idols, altars, and anything that was a compromise in serving God with their whole heart, mind, and soul. What a testimony to a changed life. What a testimony to humbly serving, following, honoring, trusting, relying on, and obeying God.

How would our life change were we to give our whole heart, soul, and mind to God? What would be changing in how we think? What would change in where we go? What would change in what we say? What would change in how we act? What would change in what we allow to influence our lives? What would change in how much time we spend in His word? What would change?

When we come to God’s word with hunger and thirst for it, when we come to God’s word with a seeking and a desire, when we come to God’s word with a want to hear and be led by the Holy Spirit, we will filled with a continual hunger for more and more knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of Jesus Christ, and we will be able to discern the deceptions and illusions this world has to offer.

“and the Rock was Christ.”

“and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,”

Psalms 95:1 Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Psalms 89:26 He shall cry to me, ‘You are my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.’

Deuteronomy 32:15 “But Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked; you grew fat, stout, and sleek; then he forsook God who made him and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.

2 Samuel 22:47 “The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,

Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

Deuteronomy 32:39-40 “‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me;

John 5:22-29 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Sometimes it is just hard to keep our head on straight and remember our redeemer and rock lives. He is very much alive and very much able to be the rock we can find refuge. Having this rock and relying on it are not the same thing. Too many times we walk into situations on our own without a thought of making sure we are wrapped in the arms of our savior. It is in these times we find ourselves lost and at odds with what we are face with. The next time you are going into to any situation make sure it is with the presence of Jesus Christ. From recent experience I know it is not good to get so wrapped up in the issue you before you that you walk alone without thinking about praising and relying on Him. I guess this today is more of me speaking to myself than sharing with you. He lives and is more than able to keep us safe and secure and calm and kind and respectful.

Blessed Assurance

“He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.”

John 11:23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

John 5:28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Isaiah 26:19 Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.

Psalms 17:15 As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness.

Ezekiel 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord GOD, you know.”

Daniel 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.

Hosea 13:14 I shall ransom them from the power of Sheol; I shall redeem them from Death.

Blessed assurance that death will not be our final state. Everlasting life awaits those who believe and trust in Jesus Christ. We get so got up in things this side of eternity we lose sight of that which is beyond what we see here. This life is but a vapor when compared to eternity. Yet is seems so long at times. When trials, issues, troubles come we have the assurance that the same person who will raise us from the dead is also able to wrap His loving arms around us and give comfort, refuge, hope, love, courage, and peace. Rejoice and praise Him for He is able to do more than we ask and much more than we can imagine. We are redeemed and will be alive forever with Him.

Yet shall we Live

“Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.”

“who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

John 5:28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

John 6:39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

Job 19:25 For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

Be encouraged in our destiny – Raised from the dead and forever alive with Christ!!!!!!!!!!